The Super League Dream Team is an annually-selected rugby league All Star Team consisting of the players deemed to have been the best in their respective positions in the Super League competition. The team is selected by a panel of journalists and broadcasters at the end of each season.
The inaugural Dream Team was selected in 1996, the competition's first season. The team is traditionally selected following the completion of the regular season, and so does not take play-off matches into account.
On 6 September 2010, the Dream Team of Super League XV was announced. The team boasted four players from league leaders Wigan Warriors; including first appearances for Pat Richards, Sean O'Loughlin and Joel Tomkins, with the latter's brother Sam appearing for the second successive year. Three players came from second and third placed St. Helens and Warrington Wolves; those being Paul Wellens, James Roby and James Graham (St Helens) and Matt King, Adrian Morley ad Ben Westwood (Warrington). Two players, left wing partnership Keith Senior and Ryan Hall, were selected from Leeds Rhinos, and the team was completed by Michael Dobson of Hull Kingston Rovers. Only three of the thirteen (Richards, King and Dobson) in 2010 were imports, one of whom (Richards) had switched his allegiance to Ireland in 2008. 2010 also proved to be the first time a set of brothers (the Tomkins') have appeared in the same Dream Team.[2]
On 10 September 2012, the Dream Team for Super League XVII was announced. The team consisted of six players from league leaders Wigan Warriors, three from league runners-up Warrington Wolves, two from Catalans Dragons and one each from St Helens R.F.C. and Super League XVI winners Leeds Rhinos. Six players (Ryan Atkins, Rémi Casty, Josh Charnley, Brett Finch, Chris Hill and Gareth Hock) made their debuts in the Dream Team, while three players (James Roby, Sam Tomkins and Ben Westwood) were selected for the fourth time, with Tomkins appearing for the fourth year in a row.[3]
On 9 September 2013, the Super League XVIII Dream Team was announced at Huddersfield's John Smith's Stadium. The team was virtually made up of English players, with the sole exception of Danny Brough, who represented Scotland at international level, although was born in Dewsbury in West Yorkshire.[4] Brough was also one of five Huddersfield Giants players in the Dream Team, which acknowledged the club winning the League Leaders' Shield. The other Huddersfield players selected were Eorl Crabtree, Leroy Cudjoe, Brett Ferres and Shaun Lunt.
Wigan Warriors had four players, three of whom, Josh Charnley, Sean O'Loughlin and Sam Tomkins, were the only members of the 2012 Dream Team to be selected in 2013 with Tomkins now selected in the Dream Team five years in a row. The other Wigan player selected was Matty Smith
The remainder of the Dream Team consisted of two players from Hull F.C. (Ben Crooks and Tom Lineham) and one each from Leeds Rhinos (Jamie Peacock) and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (Danny Kirmond), who were the only team to have a player in the Dream Team but not be involved in the play-offs.[5] Despite finishing second in the table, no players from Warrington Wolves were selected.
The 2016 Dream Team featured nine players making their first appearance.[7]
The 2017 Dream Team featured eight players making their first appearance. Six players were selected from League Leaders Castleford Tigers.
The 2018 Dream Team featured eight players making their first appearance. Seven players were selected from League Leaders St Helens.
The 2019 Dream Team featured nine players making their first appearance. League Leaders and Champions St Helens had the most players for any one team with five.
The 2020 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team was selected based on the Man of Steel points totals. St Helens had the most players of any team with three as players from eight different clubs were chosen.
Second placed St Helens and League Leaders Catalans Dragons dominated the 2021 Dream Team with five and four selections respectively. Sam Tomkins returned after an eight year absence, Hull K.R. had their first representative in a decade and Liam Farrell, Alex Walmsley and Johnny Lomax all retained their places from 2020.
The 2022 Super League Dream Team was dominated by the North West clubs with League Leaders St Helens having four players, as well as second placed Wigan and sixth placed Salford having three players each. Six players made their first appearance whilst Ken Sio, Jack Welsby, Alex Walmsley, Liam Farrell, and Morgan Knowles retained their places from 2021. Bevan French made his first appearance since 2020 and James Roby made his first appearance since 2018.
The 2023 Super League Dream Team was dominated by Leigh Leopards. The newly-promoted side finished fifth and had five players named in the Dream Team. League Leaders Wigan had three players named, while the rest were spread out among five other teams. Six players made their first appearance whilst Jack Welsby, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Bevan French and Liam Farrell retained their places from 2022. Farrell was named for a fifth successive year, equalling the record set by Sam Tomkins from 2009 to 2013. Josh Charnley made his first appearance since 2013, Kallum Watkins made his first appearance since 2015, and Tom Johnstone made his first appearance since 2018.[8]
The 2024 Super League Dream Team saw Wigan with the most players named. The Warriors, who retained the League Leaders Shield, saw four players named. Third placed Warrington had three players named, regular season runners up Hull KR and 4th placed Salford had two players each named with the field completed by 6th placed St Helens and a Leeds team who missed out on the playoffs. Eleven players made their first appearance whilst Jake Wardle made it consecutive appearances and Luke Thompson made his first appearance since 2019.[9]
Appearances by club and country
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To date, 18 different clubs have seen players appear in the Dream Team.
14 different countries have seen players appear in the Dream Team. Fiji are the latest country to see a player appear with Kevin Naiqama making the team in 2019 for St. Helens.
Players who have made at least five appearances
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